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LAHORE, March 31: The University of Engineering and Technology has finalized a three-year reforms agenda to ensure “quality teaching and research that is internally relevant and has a direct bearing on country’s industrial, technological and economic development”.
The reforms agenda has been prepared on the basis of a 11-point guidelines communicated by the Chancellor/Punjab Governor to all universities in the province for 2003-06. The agenda, which has formally been approved by the university syndicate, involves a budget of Rs94.3 million. The university is expected to generate the funds from its own resources.
Under the programme, the UET plans to check brain drain and induct high quality faculty, revise curricula and examination system, introduce emerging disciplines, develop linkage between the university and the market and upgrade infrastructure in the university to bring it at par with the modern universities.
FACULTY DEVELOPMENT: The university has decided to polish its ‘not fully qualified’ teachers through MSc and PhD programmes and empower young teachers through courses on ‘techniques of instruction’.
During the next three years, the university will introduce an incentives package of Rs9 million, Rs3 million for each year, to offer best teachers and best researchers’ awards in all faculties.
The faculty performance in research will be evaluated by the Advanced Studies and Research Board, while their teaching performance will be evaluated by the administration and the students. The university has also allocated Rs9 million for research to be spent in three years equally.
The university will also enhance the scope of sending its young teachers to the Higher Education Commission and the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) for training.
It also plans to arrange separate offices for all faculty members with a total cost of Rs2 million besides extending internet facility at the residences of all associate professors and professors of the university.
In order to induct high quality faculty, the university has decided to empower the respective departments to hunt talented faculty and offer them adequate incentives.
The UET has, however, hinted some impediments, including continuous drain of high quality faculty and low percentage of PhD teachers in cutting-edge technologies, in implementing the reforms package and conducting research activity.
CURRICULA AND EXAMINATIONS: The Punjab government has constituted a committee to revise the curricula of engineering universities to bring them at par with the leading campuses in the world.
Earlier, the respective departments of the university were revising curricula periodically to keep pace with the latest developments in engineering education.
In order to revamp the examination, evaluation and assessment system, the university has decided to introduce semester system in all postgraduate programmes from fall 2003.
The new examinations will aim at testing of comprehension rather than memory. The sessional marks will be awarded during the session rather than at the end. The fictitious roll number marking system will also be improved further.
QUALITY STUDENTS: The university has chalked out a strategy that only those students having first division in their intermediate or degree examinations will be allowed to apply for entry tests. The entry tests will now be organized in different parts of the province rather than at Lahore and Islamabad only.
The university will give wide publicity for the award of scholarships to ensure enrolment of needy and deserving students. The poor and deserving orphan students will be given full fee concession.
After the selection of best students, greater emphasis will be laid on case studies, seminars and practical training aimed at solving the problems of the industry. The university has also made the internship mandatory besides increasing its duration from six to 12 weeks. It will also give due attention to improve students’ computer application and communication skills.
EMERGING DISCIPLINES: The UET plans to introduce environmental engineering and bio-medical engineering at graduate level from the next academic session.
Similarly, it also plans to convert its three undergraduate specializations into degree programmes. They are: BSc electrical and communication engineering, electronic and computer engineering, and electrical power and control engineering.
The university has already introduced seven emerging disciplines at undergraduate level and two disciplines at postgraduate level.
The university has, however, warranted that the introduction of new disciplines would require expansion of students facilities including lecture theatres, labs, hostels and transportation.
PLACEMENT CENTRES: The UET plans to activate its Placement Bureau, Directorate of Technical Services and Consultancy to interact with industry and develop linkages between the university and the market.
Similarly, it plans to revamp its office of technology transfer to act as a centre to develop linkages with the market.
INFRASTRUCTURE: The university has allocated Rs20 million to acquire equipment for thermodynamics labs, workshops and research centre. It has also allocated Rs9.2 million to acquire 130 computers and 30 multi-media projectors for different academic departments.
The university has also signed an MoU with the Huwai Corporation of China for setting up joint Telecommunication and IT centre with a total cost of $5million.
The university has also proposed an allocation of Rs12.7 million for the construction of new labs and classrooms in mechanical engineering department and software engineering centres; completion of computer science and mathematics blocks; and modification of a workshop shed into a seminar hall.
In order to overcome the shortage of teachers’ residences, the university will construct an accommodation block at a cost of Rs6 million during 2005-06 financial year.
Some Rs1.5 million have also been earmarked for the improvement of annex block ground, extension of Lalazar refreshment facility and tuff tiling of swimming pool.
The university central library will be revamped with new books, latest research journals and networking equipment with a total cost of Rs39.6 million.
In order to strengthen its transport section, the university has earmarked Rs24.3 million to acquire six buses, eight vans and two cars during the next three years and setting up of transport offices. — Mansoor Malik
